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Online Fitness Training: Fad or Future?

    In a distant time and galaxy, skinny young men would hungrily devour muscle magazines to learn how to work out in the weight room. Gyms were full of Arnold Schwarzenegger aspirants pumping up on barbells or grunting under the load of Universal or Nautilus machines. Women who desired movie siren physiques could attend an aerobics session at a fitness club or recreational facility. However, women had a trump card on men! They could perform aerobics at home with a 'remote' aerobics instructor. It's true! All they needed was their TV set, a VHS or Beta player and a Jane Fonda aerobics tape.  Yes, the 1980's were famous for more than just spandex-clad, hair rock bands, Miami Vice, and the Iran/Contra arms scandal. It was the beginning of the remote training era.

   Remote Fitness Training is exactly that: remote;distant;virtual;detached. A Fitness Trainer/client virtual relationship is established online using computers or cell phones. Since the COVID-19 pandemic shut many fitness centers, online Fitness Training has multiplied exponentially. Social media has exploded with fitness influencers showing off their 'natural (or natty)' physiques on video platforms. These platforms often have a link offering to sell the secrets to how such physiques can be obtained.

At first glance, there are some obvious advantages to remote/online/virtual fitness training:

• Fitness trainers and clients no longer have to meet at a fitness center or studio. 
• Fitness trainers can avoid rental fees at a fitness center or giving a sizeable cut of their earnings to that fitness center.
• Commuting and parking are no longer a factor.
• Geographical distance is no longer a deterrent.
• The fitness trainer can potentially schedule more clients into a day.
• Those who prefer to exercise with a degree of privacy now have that option.
• Clients usually pay less for online sessions. 
• If the client works out at home, they can avoid fitness center fees.

My hesitancy to fully embrace remote fitness training is based upon numerous factors.

1. There is a lack of physical interaction between trainer and client. 
2. The ability to perform a feasible and proper physical assessment may be compromised. This is especially problematic with a new client.  

3. A client may be more susceptible to injury without a fitness trainer being physically present.
4. The probability exists of a higher dropout rate among clients without a fitness trainer present and offering encouragement.
5. It might be easier for a client to 'ghost' their trainer to avoid signing on for more sessions. Of course, this could also be advantageous for the client. 
6. Protection from personal liability could be compromised. Do fitness training insurance policies even cover remote training? 
7. There is the potential for scam artists posing as online fitness trainers.
8. People lacking fitness training credentials can, and do, portray themselves as experts online with few, to no, consequences.
   
    There are experts still  skeptical that any online method can adequately replace the actual physical presence of a live fitness trainer. To quote a trainer from the gym where I work out, "Personal training means just that - 'personal'. It has to be hands on. It is like physical therapy. You can't do physiotherapy from a distance." This particular trainer was also a former pysio-therapy aide which may have helped reinforce his 'hands on' view. 

    According to another expert, Edmonton based Fitness Trainer, Greg Harvey of Fit'N'Well, “There are visual cues that you can only pick up by being physically present while the client exercises. There is also the ethical consideration. Is it right to take money from people for advising from a distance?”  

  This would be less of an issue with an existing client that then opted to become an online client. In that case, the fitness trainer is already familiar with that person and with their exercise response.  Can technology make up for the distance? Can the trainer/client bond thrive in this environment? The answers may depend upon the skills of the trainer/coach.

   Despite the doubts, it appears that working with clients from afar is no passing fad. In 2021 remote training was the number 1 fitness trend. By 2022 it had dropped to number 9 and by 2023 to number 21. (1)  That may be due to the fact that more people are returning to the gym rather than due to a drop in demand for online training. Despite the doubters, the trend is still alive.                                                  

 

   There are typically 4 methods used for remote training.                                                                

 1.Some trainers merely sell an exercise program for the client to purchase using an interactive website. There is one program for one fee.  They are no longer exchanging time for money! Instead, they claim to be selling results for money! The question arises 'Does such a method benefit the buyer?' A generic 'cookie cutter' type exercise program would not be tailored to the client's individual needs. The person might get the same or better results by buying a fitness or muscle magazine and following those suggested work outs. If the remote trainer did some sort of long-distance assessment and had the client make clear their goals, objectives, and expectations, they could better personalize the program. Then the client might be receiving something of unique value for their payment.

2. Other virtual trainers will take the client through the program using e-mail and/or cell phone chat lines along with an introductory video session. They are also known as online or virtual coaches. This method would realistically be of greater benefit to the client but more time-consuming for the trainer. At least there is constant communication. They are like fitness pen pals. The trainer/client relationship becomes more personalized than the method where the client just purchases a training program without interaction..  

3.The technically adept fitness trainer/online coach can rely on visual communication technology such as Zoom or Skype to simulate face time. There also exists an abundance of new online fitness trainer apps, such as Trainerize or Everfit, promising remote fitness training methodology and online assessment techniques. Using such technology, the trainer can demonstrate movements and observe the client in real time. With this scenario the trainer is 'eyes on' if not 'hands on.'  The Fitness Trainer can look for visual cues, imbalances, or technique flaws that would be missed using the other two methods. (2)

4. Many fitness trainers use a hybrid method in which they work with a client both in person and online. These are often existing clients that find it more convenient than always having to travel to the fitness center or studio. Such a model would presumably have the most chance for  success. This hybrid works best (if at all) when fitness trainer and client are in geographic proximity.  

There is a step-by-step process that Personal Trainer's should follow to prepare a new client and to protect themselves from legal repercussions. The steps are:

1. Verbal Consultations: Get familiar with the client. Determine goals and objectives. Ask the client about any health concerns.

2. Medical Forms: (In Canada the form is the Par-Q- Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire) This screens the client for possible health concerns. If the client answers 'Yes" to any Par - Q questions, they must answer a second level of questions. If the client clicks 'Yes" to any of these, they must be referred to a medical doctor before they can be prescribed any exercise program or perform any active portion of a fitness evaluation..

3. Waiver Form: This is to absolve the trainer of any blame in case of injury or ill health of the client. A waiver might not provide protection against trainer negligence.

4. Fitness Evaluation: Take the client's resting heart rate and blood pressure and measurements. Determine baseline fitness and strength levels. The client may be tested for aerobic capacity. Abnormally high heart rate or blood pressure can further screen the client. Severe under- performance in the baseline fitness level tests should also raise a red flag health- wise.

   The first three steps can be accomplished online. As stated above, a waiver is not always absolute protection. In the U.S.A., states such as Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico and Virginia, fitness trainer waivers are 'not enforceable'. (3)

   The fitness evaluation could pose challenges. A physical assessment under the observation of the fitness trainer is the norm. Assessing blatent muscle imbalances or physical deficiencies using still photos online is passable at best. Using modern video technology apps to monitor the client's ability to perform various movements from differing angles might provide the most accurate alternative to an actual physical presence. 

   

   When I first heard about remote, or online Fitness Training, one thought was foremost in my mind. What about liability and insurance coverage?   Many of the major Fitness Training certifications do come with insurance coverage. The National Strength and Conditioning Association certificate even has an insurance policy that has coverage for sexual abuse and molestation. Hopefully such types of misconduct related improprieties would be minimized with online interactions. Most fitness certifications actually do offer remote insurance protection now. However, the coverage may be null and void unless the fitness assessment is performed using the protocol of the certifying agency! For example, my Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology certification provides coverage using the fitness testing methodology from their training manual. If I used another modus operandi instead and got sued by an injured client, I could be in legal jeopardy. 

   A Fitness Trainer should read the fine print on their policy to be sure that remote fitness is specifically included. A telephone clarification with the insurance representative would be a prudent step. Remote Fitness Training across legal jurisdictions such as countries, states or provinces could prove problematic in cases of injury or customer dissatisfaction.

   Fitness trainers should be aware that should they go beyond their scope of practice, the liability protection may be null and void!  For example, a Fitness Trainer without specialty training may not be insured to work with special populations. A Fitness Trainer can give general advice on healthy eating habits but they are not Registered Dieticians. Potential clients with suspected eating disorders should be referred to the proper professionals. If and when they reconnect with recommendations from an expert, then an exercise prescription can be discussed. The lack of physical connection may not absolve a Fitness Trainer of negligent practice.

   The pandemic saw a boom in home exercise equipment with interactive capabilities such as Peloton. Peloton now faces a lawsuit over a fatality on its treadmill involving a child. If a large corporate exercise machine company can get sued, so can an online fitness trainer! So far, the only online training lawsuit of note has been against an American Social Media Influencer/fitness model. The state of Texas filed a lawsuit against her for failure to deliver on promised nutritional advice and diet plans to online clients. We live in a litigious world. More lawsuits are sure to follow. Know the law, the insurance policy and the training contract, whether you are a fitness trainer or a client.

                          Liability concerns should not be taken lightly.

   The prospective client should also be wary of scams. In many cases they will be giving banking or credit card information to a complete stranger. Sadly, the fitness industry has had its share of charlatans, shysters, and shady practitioners. Refunds for poor product delivery may not be easily obtained. Filing legal action against a trainer in a foreign jurisdiction could also be a daunting task.  

   Learning how to become an online trainer/coach has spawned an industry of its own. My social media accounts are inundated with advertisements offering to teach or sell me the secrets of online training for a fee. Other advertisements flaunt apps that will provide the technology and simplify the process.  Most ads promise a path to countless clients and immense financial profit. Some appear to be legitimate; others seem dubious. Business seems to be booming!

   Despite my own doubts about remote training, I almost worked for an online training company. This company would have let me use their banner to advertise online and also offered to send numerous potential client referrals my way. I would match clients to a proper exercise prescription using the company's 'Artificial Intelligence' training app. The 'artificial intelligence' was just the app assigning exercises to the client according to the profile given which consisted of ; age, health concerns, size, goals, objectives, and available exercise equipment. There was nothing space age about it.

   There was a catch to the proposal. I had to sign up at least one client on my own to their network. Not surprisingly, most of my fitness contacts were wary of divulging their banking information to a third party that was not well known. Giving over such details to famous brands such as Amazon or PayPal was different than providing financial exposure to an unknown entity. This particular company seemed legitimate but my fitness contacts were not convinced enough to turn over such data. I did convince someone to sign up for two months. No leads or clients were sent to me from the company. Was this a lost opportunity for me or a save from a possible losing partnership?

   As I stated previously, remote/online/virtual fitness training is not going away! Potential clients will have more choices. Old style fitness trainers will have more competition than ever before. Besides the existing threat of other trainers soliciting your clients away, the menace of online poaching could become an actuality. Modern fitness trainers may have to adapt and adjust either through using a hybrid system or by completely accepting the online model. Those that do may be are most likely to succeed in the everchanging, often unstable, sometimes unconventional universe of the fitness professional. 

   To complicate the situation even more, there is a new player in the fitness game called ChatGPT. This is an 'Artificial Intelligence 'program known as a chatbot.  ChatGPT is reputedly able to answer questions with genius level precision. Using such technology, a fitness trainer could create the ultimate personalized fitness prescription for any client. More ominously for fitness trainers, prospective clients could potentially post a query and receive a state-of-the-art personal workout plan. If it works, why pay for a trainer?

   Search engine news platforms such as MSN, Yahoo, and Google all have health and fitness sections. Often there are health and fitness articles such as 'Take the four-week fitness challenge.' or 'Three weeks to a stronger core.'  or 'Strip away belly fat!' Interested readers could attempt the challenges that best seem to suit their needs at no cost. This is a modern version of getting training advice from muscle magazines.

   The implication for personal fitness trainers and remote fitness trainers could be profound. Conversely, these new options could make the fitness training profession obsolete. My prediction is that such technology could thin the ranks of working fitness professionals while making the job easier for those that survive.   

  To quote the famous folk singing troubadour and fitness influencer, Bob Dylan "The times, they are a changing." 

    

Keep Pumping Up

Little Bobby Strong

References

1. Thompson, Walter R, Ph.D. FASCM (2023): "Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2023, American College of Sports Medicine,  page 17  https://munideporte.com/imagenes/documentacion/ficheros/009EF95D.pdf

2. da Silva, Martins, Haas, Goncalves (2022): Online Exercise Program for Brazilian Older Adults: Effects on physical fitness and health related variables of a feasibility study in times of COVID19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.  https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14042  https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14042

3.  Riley, Sean, JD,MS, (2008): The Pitfalls of Online Training Idea Health and Fitness Association    https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/pitfalls-online-training-0/                                                                                                 

 Links

www.fitnwell.com
www.hwsafaris.ca

www.rabbitview.com

You Tube: Little Bobby Strong